Christian Coleman of Tennessee wins NCAA 100, 200 meters

Tennessee's Christian Coleman, center, beats Houston's Cameron Burrell, left, and North Carolina A&T's Christopher Belcher, right, to win the men's 100 meters on the third day of the NCAA outdoor college track and field championships in Eugene, Ore., on Friday, June 9, 2017. Coleman won in 10.04 seconds, Burrell finished second and Belcher third.(Photo: Timothy Gonzelez / AP)

EUGENE, Oregon - University of Tennessee junior Christian Coleman’s father once told him, “Whatever you do, try to be the best.”

Friday at the NCAA Outdoor track and field championships at Hayward Field, Coleman took his father’s advice.

He won both the 100- and 200-meter events, becoming the second sprinter to ever sweep the double NCAA sprint titles in the indoor 60 and 200, and the outdoor 100 and 200.

“It’s an accomplishment that not a lot of people have done,” said Coleman, who joined former UT star and Olympic champion Justin Gatlin as the only sprinters to accomplish it. “That was my ultimate goal, and I accomplished that today.”

Coleman is the 25th collegian to win the outdoor double-double and only the eighth since 1978.

In the 100 meters, Coleman won with a time of 10.04 seconds despite a headwind of 2.1 meters per second. Second place went to Cameron Burrell in 10.12.

Forty minutes later, Coleman won the 200 with a time of 20.25 seconds despite a headwind of 3.1 meters per second. Second place went to Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake of LSU in 20.29.

“They were both equally hard,” Coleman said. “Great guys in both fields.”

Coleman is proud to follow Gatlin, who achieved the feat in 2002.

“Justin Gatlin is the best person to do it before me,” said Coleman. “He has become a friend of mine and he’s also a fellow Tennessee Volunteer. I am trying to carry on the legacy that he built.”

Gatlin and Coleman competed together on the U.S. men’s 4x100 relay team at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games. Gatlin ran the second leg of the relay, and Coleman was an alternate.

At a press conference Tuesday, Coleman said that the results from this week’s meet will help him decide whether to give up his senior year of eligibility and turn pro.

“If I win the 100 and 200, I will have accomplished something that not a lot of people have accomplished in the collegiate ranks,” said Coleman. “If I can be the best in college, I have confidence that I can be the best-of in any stage.”

On Friday, he said he still hasn’t decided. “Right now,” he said, “I’m just gonna take in the moment.”

Grainger High graduate Zach Long of UT finished 12th in the men's 5,000 and placed 12th in 14:42.94.

Coleman's 20 points allowed UT to tie for seventh with LSU. Florida won the team title with 61.5 points to edge Texas A&M by two. Eight of the top 10 teams were from the SEC.